"Is this working?" was the theme of the evening when Sage Francis took the stage at the Ivar Theater last Wednesday night, just one street shy of Sunset Boulevard. Nearing the end of a mini-spoken-word-tour, Sage was overly anxious about this show in particular. "This is the big one," he said to a nearly packed house "we're recording this one for the next DVD. Doubt it will make the cut." Mic problems might have been against him, but the audience wasn't. Fellow Knowmore.org associate (a site devoted to uncovering the secrets of big business corporations) Bernard Dolan started the night off with a solid three poem set, which shortly after lead to Sage hitting the stage with an invisible sword by his side, a grenade in one hand, a mic in the other, and a voice that would do more than just tell a story or two, it would read you passages from the book he's been writing for us since his youth. Wailing through acappella renditions of raps such as "Mermaids are Seasluts" and "Slow Down Gandhi," I couldn't help but think he's not just rapping, but rather sharing with us something direct and intimate that he doesn't wish to hide using instrumental backing tracks - words he wants us to hear in their purest, rawest form. This isn't something new to Mr. Francis, who's done Scribble Battles since High School - yet you could see the fear he was wearing up until the audience warmed up a bit. Once his game face was on, there was no turning back. The night promised to have more than acappella performances, and it delivered with force. Scattered throughout the night were spoken word essays, poems, and comical antics that would put Andy Dick to shame. Subjects panned from the anger he felt when his sister told him she'd be joining the US Army, to the time his grandma told him Santa (and God) weren't real, and how it took him numerous girlfriends to gather enough material to write his one, and only, love song ("Hopless" from 2002's Personal Journals). The night ended with a standing ovation and handshakes from a crowd that was more than happy to witness an event that proves Sage doesn't need much to woo a crowd, just a mic and vocal cord.

Sun Oct 21, 2007 4:52 pm

pedavis

Joined: 03 May 2007
Posts: 1425
Location: Illinois, US

i'm honored and humbled to be alive in a time like this, thanks to people like you.

Sun Oct 21, 2007 5:26 pm

Sage FrancisSelf Fighteous

Joined: 30 Jun 2002
Posts: 21654

haha well thanks. That's really nice to say and completely unexpected.
If you were at this show, is it not completely strange that they didn't mention the black fairy mermaid appearance?

Sun Oct 21, 2007 5:48 pm

pedavis

Joined: 03 May 2007
Posts: 1425
Location: Illinois, US

wasn't at this show, but i'm pretty sure i saw the video. or maybe i've just got a vivid imagination(?)

maybe the authoer was too disturbed and forced the memory into the deepest, darkest caverns of their skull?